Oars



F. W. FEE

Jan. 9, 1968 OARS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 20, 1966 INVENTOR. flea-"014 FEE 96%; S QQQM F. W. FEE

Jan. 9, 1968 OAR S 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 20, 1966 [N VEN TOR F250IV. 555 9M5 Zxw United States Patent Ofiice 3,362,933 Patented Jan. 9,1968 3,362,033 OARS Fred W. Fee, P.0. Box 141, Hamilton, Ind. 46742Filed Jan. 20, 1966, Ser. No. 536,225 Claims. (Cl. 9-24) ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE A non-circular telescopic oar is disclosed which has hollowfull length telescoping oar sections and a hollow paddle formed fastabout and containing full length the innermost oar section, the hollowinterior of the latter closed off from the hollow interior of the formerwhereby the same can be made air tight and buoyant. The outermost oarsection contains on its free end a hollow hand grip for carrying asupply of Navy dye marker in said oar.

My invention relates to improvements in oars.

Its principal object is the provision of a truly practical and operativeoar which is telescopic for stowage and for work.

Such object of the invention and its advantages will become apparentduring the course of the following description taken in conjunction withthe accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of my improved oar in its extendedwork position;

FIG. 2 is a similar view of said oar in its stowed position;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of said oar in its stowed position;

FIGS. 4 and 11 are horizontal sectional views of the structure of FIG. 1taken, respectively, along the lines 44 and 11-11 thereof;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view of the structure ofFIG. 2 taken along the line 55 thereof;

FIGS. 6 and 7 are vertical sectional views of the structure of FIG. 5taken, respectively, along the lines 66 and 7-7 thereof; 7

FIGS. 8 and 9 are vertical sectional views of the structure of FIG. 1taken, respectively, along the lines 8-8 and 9-9 thereof;

FIG. 10 is a vertical sectional view of the structure of FIG 9. takenalong the line Ill-10 thereof; and

FIG. 12 is a horizontal sectional view of the structure of FIG. 1 asviewed along the line 12-12 thereof.

Referring to the drawings in greater detail, 15 designates a blade orpaddle section which comprises a hollow member 16 of rectangular annularcross-section which is covered over its length by paddle members 18welded or otherwise affixed to the member 16 and to each other aroundthe perimeter of the relatively broad and thin blade formed by theconfronting members 18. Their smooth external surfaces present lowfriction streamlined faces to the water. For purposes which will bementioned later the member 16 has diagonally disposed apertures 19(FIGS. 3, 4 and 5) formed in its wider opposite walls near its lower endand apertures 21 (FIG. 11) in the same walls near its upper end.

An intermediate section of my improved oar is designated 25. Itcomprises a member 26 of rectangular annular cross-section whichtelescopes within the member 16. Inwardly of the inner end of the member26 diagonally disposed depressions 28 are formed in wider oppositewalls. Similar depressions 30 are formed and similarly disposed inwardlyof the outer end of the member 26. Leaf spring latches 31 are formed onthe outside of the member 26 and located within the depressions 28. Eachlatch 31 comprises a leaf spring member 32 which is riveted at one endand carries a button 33 at its free end. The spring member 32 is bentinwardly from each of its opposite ends so that the button 33 is biasedlaterally outwardly of the member 26. The two buttons 33 releasablyengage the apertures 19 in the member 16 in the stowed position of myoar and similarly engage the apertures 21 in the same member 16 in theextended work position of said oar. The apertures 19 are formed with ataper as shown (FIG. 6) so that they cam the buttons 33 out of them whenthe member 26 is pulled from its stowed position out of the member 16into its work position. The apertures 21 are formed with similar tapers(FIG. 9) so that they cam the buttons 33 out of them when the member 26is pushed from its work position into its stowed position into themember 16. Leaf spring latches 34 of the same construction as thatdescribed for the spring latches 31 are also formed on the inside of themember 26 near the inner end thereof and diagonally disposed oppositelyof the depressions 28. Similar spring latches 35 are also formed on theinside of the member 26 near the outer end thereof and diagonallydisposed oppositely of the depressions 30.

A handle section of my improved oar is designated 37 and comprises amember 38 of rectangular annular crosssection which telescopes withinthe member 26 since the outside dimensions of the member 38substantially coincide with the efiective inside dimensions of themember 26 on account of the depressions 28 and 30 formed therein. Theouter end of the member 38 has a hand grip 40 secured thereto which ispreferably hollow, as at 41, for carrying a supply of Navy dye markerwhich is a well-known dye substance for marking the surface of water inan emergency to make it visible from aircraft. The inner end of themember 38 has diagonally disposed apertures 43 (FIGS. 6 and 8) formed inits wider opposite walls near its inner or lower end which apertures 43are tapered for releasably engaging the buttons on the leaf springlatches 34 and 35, respectively, in the stowed and extended workpositions for the handle section 37.

In use of my improved oar the handle section 37 is drawn out of theintermediate section 25, as far as it goes in which position the buttonson the spring latches 35 are engaged in the apertures 43 in the member38 which engagement secures the relative axial positions of the twomembers 38 and 26 in the extended work position of my oar. A smallamount of axial force may be required to be exerted on the member 38 tocam the buttons on the spring latches 34 out of the apertures 43.Relative axial rotation in respect to the two members 38 and 26 isimpossible in this position of my oar in view of the rectangularengagement between them which effects full rotational rigidity in spiteof the offsets to the outside dimension of the member 26 caused by thedepressions 28 in the member 26. The intermediate section 25 issimilarly drawn out of the paddle section 15 as far as it goes whichcorresponds to engagement of the buttons on the spring latches 31 in theapertures 21 which secures the relative axial position of my oar.Relative axial rotation in respect to the two members 26 and 16 islikewise impossible in this position of my oar since the samerectangular engagement is realized by virtue of the offsets to theinside dimensions of the member 26 caused by the depressions 30. A smallamount of axial force may similarly be necessary to commence thewithdrawal of the intermediate section 25 from the paddle section 15which force must be exerted on the handle section 37 to cam the buttonson the spring latches 31 out of the apertures 19. My improved oar in itsextended work position is adequately secure against relative axialmovement between the several sections thereof and is fully rigid againstrelative axial rotation which is most important since the reactionforces from rowing tend to cause such rotation.

When it is desired to stow my improved oar the handle section 37 ispushed into the intermediate section 25. A small amount of force may berequired to cam the buttons on the spring latches 35 out of theapertures 43. The limit of travel of the handle section 37 into theintermediate section 25 is determined by the engagement of the buttonson the spring latches 34 with the apertures 43. The intermediate section25 is then pushed into the paddle section 15. Similarly a small amountof force may be required to cam the buttons on the spring latches 31 outof the apertures 21. The limit of travel of the intermediate section 25into the paddle section is determined by the engagement of the buttonson the spring latches 31 with the apertures 19. A plate 17 (FIGS. 6 and7) covers the lower end of the member 16 to serve as an added stop forboth the intermediate section 25 and the handle section 37 in theirinward travel in respect to the paddle section 15. The plate 17 alsoserves to close off the bottom of the hollow interior of the paddlesection 16 from the hollow interior of the paddle formed by the paddlemembers 18. Thus the hollow paddle can be made air t ght and thereforebouyant. In this telescoped stowed position of my oar the severalsections are adequately secure against relative axial movement and theypresent a length axially equal substantially to that of the paddlesection. For stowage purposes the smooth external surfaces of themembers 18 prevent catching the oar on other gear and if the latter ispiled upon the oar there is no danger of breaking the same since itsstrength is at a maximum due to the substantially full reception withinthe paddle section of the intermediate and handle sections.

It will thus be seen that there has been provided by my inventionimprovements in oars in which the object hereinabove set forth togetherwith many thoroughly practical advantages has been successfullyachieved. While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shownand described it is to be understood that variations and changes may beresorted to without departing from the ambit of the invention as definedby the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A full length telescopic oar having a hand grip Which is comprised ofa hollow paddle and of hollow oar sections which are full lengthtelescopic into said paddle to said hand grip and extendable for stowageand for work, respectively, one of said sections being an intermediatehollow handle section, another of said sections being an end hollowhandle section carrying on its free end said hand grip, still another ofsaid sections being a hollow paddle section, said handle sectionstelescopically full length engageable in said paddle section, and saidhollow paddle formed fast about and containing full length said paddlesection, the hollow interior of said paddle section being closed offfrom the hollow interior of said paddle whereby the latter can be madeair tight and bouyant, and means to lock said sections against beingpulled apart axially in the extended Work positions of the oar.

2. A telescopic oar as claimed in claim 1 in which said paddle is formedby confronting paddle members which extend laterally and axially of saidpaddle section to form a thin and broad blade for rowing.

3. A telescopic oar which is comprised of oar sections which aresubstantially full length telescopic and extendable for stowage and forwork, respectively, one of said sections being a hollow handle section,the other of said sections being a hollow paddle section, the handlesection telescopically full length engageable in said paddle section,and a hollow paddle formed fast about and containing full length saidpaddle section, the hollow interior of said paddle section being closedoff from the hollow interior of said paddle whereby the latter can bemade air tight and bouyant, and means to lock said sections againstbeing pulled apart axially in the extended work position of the oar, andin which said sections are non-circular in cross-section.

4. A telescopic oar as claimed in claim 3 in which said handle sectionis an intermediate section and further comprising another oar sectionwhich is an end hollow handle section telescopically full lengthen-gageable in said intermediate section.

5. A telescopic oar as claimed in claim 4 comprising a hollow hand gripon the free end of said end handle section for carrying a supply of Navydye marker in said oar.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,801,014 4/1931 Lange et al287-58 X 2,343,726 3/ 1944 Witt 924 2,353,662 7/ 1944 Goldman 9242,711,547 6/ 1955 Bliven 924 3,044,410 7/ 1962 Edmundson 924 X 3,091,7814/1963 Wisbrod 924 FOREIGN PATENTS 336,101 4/ 1921 Germany.

FERGUS S. MIDDLETON, Primary Examiner.

P. E. SAUBERER, Assistant Examiner,

